Elections may come and go but politics never stops.

Jeb Bush

07/20/2015

Jeb Bush returned to Tallahassee today to use the town where he spent eight years as governor as a backdrop for his 2016 presidential campaign. The Republican candidate suggested that Washington is place that badly needs his Sunshine State solutions.

It is a speech that is odd in the way it condemns Washington culture - one that has had a Bush in the White House as either Veep or President for 20 of the last years.

Here are his prepared remarks:

“Thank you very much. It’s good to be back in Tallahassee, and great to be back with so many old friends.

"We’re in the early days of a long campaign. I’m making my case to voters all across the country, and I’m happy to tell you the signs are good.

"People are ready to choose a new president. Among Republicans, they’ve got plenty of choices. They want to know, not just what we believe, but what we have accomplished – and for me that story begins right here in Tallahassee.

"In my eight years in office we didn’t just mark time, we filled those years with hard work and real reform.

"It wasn’t always a smooth path. In fact, we used to call this city ‘Mount Tallahassee’ because it was so remote from the people, so caught up in the settled ways of a comfortable establishment. I was a governor who refused to go along with that establishment. I wasn’t a member of the club, and that made all the difference.

"Should I win this election, you will not find me deferring to the settled ways of ‘Mount Washington,’ either. The overspending, the overreaching, the arrogance, and the sheer incompetence in that city – these problems have been with us so long that they are sometimes accepted as facts of life. But a president should never accept them, and I will not. We need a president willing to challenge the whole culture in our nation’s capital – and I mean to do it.

07/09/2015

Take that Donald Trump. You may have more mouth...and lord know you do....but former Florida Governor Jeb Bush clearly has more campaign money.

His Right to Rise USA PAC picked up $103 million from more 9,900 donors. And the PAC still has $98 million suggesting that the Bush group is quite stingy - or, as many do, they delayed paying a bunch of bills until after this reporting period.

It goes like this..."Hi vendor/campaign worker, how about delaying sending us that invoice until after July 1."

It is a common campaign stunt. Still, even if there are some millions of in invoices about to land, that's still a huge chunk of campaign cash on hand.

And if you look at the numbers offered by the PAC, a good bit of the money raised came from about 500 donors.

One wonders if Trump is willing to write his campaign a big check.

Here's what Right to Rise had to say:

Later this month, Right to Rise USA will file our first semi-annual report to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

We are grateful for the overwhelming response from the thousands of donors who have been drawn to Jeb's optimistic message of conservative renewal and reform.

In keeping with our goal of transparency, below is a summary of our preliminary top-line numbers that reflect the total raised by Right to Rise USA from our founding on January 6, 2015, through June 30th, 2015.

Please note that these are preliminary numbers that may change slightly. All data will be available for the public to view when our report is received by the FEC on or before July 31, 2015.

07/07/2015

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has a new video that starts with him reminding voters that, "I took on the teachers union in Florida." The 2016 Republican presidential candidate also criticizes Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton for only having "three bills that she sponsored" become law.

In the video Bush says: "Conservatives can be elected president of the United States. I am absolutely convinced of it."

Well that is true. One could suggest that his father and brother were conservatives who got elected president. And there was that guy Reagan.

But we digress.

Bush goes on to say, "this about being a beacon of peace and prosperity for the world."

07/02/2015

In a lengthy column on the conservative Town Hall website, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is sharply critical of the ongoing negotiations with Iran over nuclear weapons. Bush, a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, also questions the Obama administration's overall Middle East policy.

While the column is deep in criticism it is a tad light in outlining solutions.

Some excerpts provided by the Bush 2016 campaign:

Governor Jeb BushTownhallJuly 2, 2015

Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a grave threat to the United States, to Israel, to other close partners in the Middle East, and to international peace and security. There is not yet a nuclear deal with Iran, but I agree with the many experts who believe an agreement is likely. Repeated concessions and desperate accommodation suggest the Obama Administration will do anything to secure a deal. And with America playing such a weak hand, why shouldn’t the Supreme Leader squeeze President Obama for more concessions?

…

As we await details of the latest concessions the Obama Administration is making to Iran, we should recall the grave danger posed to the world by Iran’s non-nuclear aggression across the Middle East. Without a comprehensive strategy to deal with the totality of Iran’s threats to our interests, the expected nuclear deal is likely to offer only short-term political benefits for President Obama, not lasting security benefits for America.

…

Iran foments instability and sectarian tension throughout the region. It is a delusion to believe, as the President does, that the current regime in Tehran can be a force for stability in the Middle East. Iran has bankrolled and armed the Assad regime during its war against the Syrian people, and hundreds of Iranian special operations forces are operating as combatants in Syria. Iranian-backed militia have subverted the Iraqi state and helped fuel sectarian tensions that have driven many Sunnis into the arms of ISIL.

06/25/2015

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush issued the following statement about today's 6-3 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding federal exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act. Bush makes it clear that the issue will be part of the 2016 presidential campaign.

"I am disappointed by today’s Supreme Court ruling in the King v. Burwell case. But this decision is not the end of the fight against Obamacare.

"As President of the United States, I would make fixing our broken health care system one of my top priorities. I will work with Congress to repeal and replace this flawed law with conservative reforms that empower consumers with more choices and control over their health care decisions.

"Here is what I believe: We need to put patients in charge of their own decisions and health care reform should actually lower costs. Entrepreneurs should be freed to lower costs and improve access to care – just like American ingenuity does in other sectors of the economy.

"Americans deserve leadership that can actually fix our broken health care system, and they are certainly not getting it now from Washington, DC.”

06/22/2015

There are a lot of misconceptions about former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. In this report in Sunday's Washington Post, five myths about the 2016 Republican presidential candidate are explored.

Note: the above caricature by Crowley Political Report artist Patrick Crowley did not appear in the Washington Post.

Now to the WaPo story.

Washington Post

By Brian E. Crowley

Brian E. Crowley is a Florida political analyst and the author of Crowley Political Report. He covered all three of Jeb Bush’s races for governor.

The nation has the chance to vote for another Bush now that Jeb has declared his candidacy for president. Though his last name is one of the most famous in the country, much of the conventional wisdom about Bush is wrong, starting with his first name. (It’s actually John, not Jeb.) Here are five other myths about the third child of George and Barbara.

1. Jeb Bush is a moderate.

“Republican vanilla” was how Henry Olsen put it in National Review. Others have described Bush’s “ ‘very conservative’ problem” (National Journal), the right’s “wary” response to his candidacy (the Boston Globe), and similarities between him and Hillary Clinton (Laura Ingraham, who said they could “run on the same ticket”). At the heart of Bush’s supposedly moderate ideology: his support for Common Core and immigration reform.

While some conservatives disagree over those two issues, almost nothing inBush’s record as governor suggests he’s a moderate. The notion puzzles Floridians who watched him govern for eight years, during which he pushed to disrupt public schools by establishing vouchers, grading schools and student performance, and creating charter schools. He reduced the size of state government, promoted tax cuts for the wealthy, passed tough-on-crime bills and bragged about helping Florida have more concealed-weapon permits than other states.

When Bush left office, “he was widely, unanimously, unambiguously regarded as the most conservative governor in the United States,” according to Steve Schmidt, who was Sen. John McCain’s senior campaign adviser in the 2008 presidential race. Darryl Paulson, a professor emeritus of government at the University of South Florida, said, “He governed as a conservative, and everyone in the Florida Republican Party considered him a conservative.” Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell stated it more bluntly: “a union-busting, school-voucher-promoting, tax-cutting, gun-loving, Terri Schiavo-interfering, hard-core conservative.”

06/19/2015

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush told a folks gathered at the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Washington D. C. this morning that he opposes the notion that when there is a conflict of ideas that "people of faith must yield."

"We can create a government that is the servant not the master of our destiny," said Bush.

On Monday, Bush formally entered the 2016 presidential campaign. Many evangelical conservatives in the GOP believe that Bush is too moderate to be the party's standard bearer. Bush appeared to be once again trying to assure these voters that he will fight for their interests.

"Faith is really the moral foundation of our country," Bush told the gathering. He then went on to talk about Terri Schiavo, traditional marriage, abortion, and his conversion to Catholicism.

"I stood on the side of Terri Schiavo and her parents," said Bush, who used extraordinary although ultimately unsuccessful measures to prevent her husband from allowing her feeding tube to be removed. Doctors said she was in a permanent vegetative state.

On same sex marriage, an issue now before the U.S. Supreme Court, Bush said , "We should not put aside those who believe in traditional marriage."

06/18/2015

BuzzFeed listened in on a conference call with Republican media strategist Mike Murphy and super donors to Jeb Bush's super PAC, Right to Rise.

According to BuzzFeed, which admits "crashing" the call, Murphy pushed donors to keep raising money before the close of the current campaign finance period on June 30. He predicted dire consequences for Bush's rivals in the 2016 presidential campaign when they see the Bush financial report in July.

"We (will) give some heart attacks to people in July," said Murphy. "It’ll effect some of their decisions, it’ll bum out their donors, and it’ll hurt their money, which cuts off their oxygen, and frankly we want to choke ‘em all out. So, um, you’re killers — I’m gonna turn you guys loose to that mission."

Murphy tell them the PAC wants to "hit the biggest possible number" because, "we want to maximize our crushing advantage there as a sign of strength."

06/17/2015

Take all of these early polls with a grain of salt including this one from Quinnipiac that shows Hillary Clinton ahead of Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio in Florida.

Clinton gets 47 percent to Rubio's 44 percent. She gets 46 percent to Bush's 42 percent. Essentially tied. What the poll really means is that Florida will continue to be a state that will help determine who will be the next president.

The poll also finds:

Being honest and trustworthy is the most important quality in deciding their vote, 39 percent of Florida voters say, while 28 percent most want strong leadership qualities and 32 percent most want a candidate who cares about their needs and problems.

Voters say 50 - 34 percent that Rubio is honest and trustworthy; 52 - 33 percent that he has strong leadership qualities and 53 - 37 percent that he cares about their needs and problems.

06/16/2015

Nicolle Wallace, a member of The View cast, and a frequent guest on Morning Joe, started fanning herself as she described Jeb Bush as "hot" when he speaks Spanish.

Wallace worked for Jeb before moving to his brother's White House press shop. She later was a key figure on the McCain/Palin presidential campaign. In fact, she was portrayed in the HBO movie Game Change for her frequently clashes with the ill-prepared, tough-to-train Palin.

Nicolle, a friend of Crowley Political Report, is also a best selling author.

06/15/2015

Here is the text of Jeb Bush's announcement speech for 2016 presidential campaign.

“Thank you all very much. I always feel welcome at Miami-Dade College. This is a place that welcomes everyone with their hearts set on the future – a place where hope leads to achievement, and striving leads to success. For all of us, it is just the place to be in the campaign that begins today.

“We are 17 months from the time for choosing. The stakes for America’s future are about as great as they come. Our prosperity and our security are in the balance. So is opportunity, in this nation where every life matters and everyone has the right to rise.

“Already, the choice is taking shape. The party now in the White House is planning a no-suspense primary, for a no-change election. To hold onto power. To slog on with the same agenda under another name: That’s our opponents’ call to action this time around. That’s all they’ve got left.

“And you and I know that America deserves better

“They have offered a progressive agenda that includes everything but progress. They are responsible for the slowest economic recovery ever, the biggest debt increases ever, a massive tax increase on the middle class, the relentless buildup of the regulatory state, and the swift, mindless drawdown of a military that was generations in the making.

“I, for one, am not eager to see what another four years would look like under that kind of leadership.

Update5: State Sen. Don Gaetz, in a chamber still in special session because Legislature could not complete state budget on time, is talking about leadership.

"The education system he created is one of the best....he faced down the unions and lifted up the children."

Now another campaign video.

Update4: Jeb's son, George P, the Texas Land Commissioner is now speaking. "My dad taught us about faith in God....after awhile he decided to convert and become a member of the Catholic Church."

"My Dad knows who he is. He knows what he believes."

"No matter where I go, no matter what I do, he loves me no questions asked."

Update3: Bush's former LG, Toni Jennings, speaking. She talks about Bush's BHAGs, (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), changing education and taking on the bureaucracy. "I saw that his commitment was constant and he worked hard at it every day."

"He never backs away from an issue."

Update2: Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte gives a passionate speech about how Jeb Bush helped her family. "With Jeb Bush in the White House we are going to have a leader who will serve all Americans"

Update 1: We've had the music. We've had the singing of the national anthem. We've had the prayer. We've had the first speech. We are now having a Bush campaign video featuring people who been helped by Jeb Bush policies.

Hundreds of Jeb Bush supporters cheered when the 2016 presidential candidates mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, entered the gymnasium at Miami Dade College. Mrs. Bush famously said last year that the nation has had enough of the Bush family and someone else should run for president.

In a few hours, Jeb Bush will be giving his first speech as an official candidate for the 2016 presidential campaign. Not surprising, fellow Florida candidate Marco Rubio already has a statement about Bush's announcement.

06/14/2015

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush quickly gets on the road after the formal announcement of his 2016 presidential campaign on Monday.

The Bush campaign released his travel schedule which will begin Tuesday with a campaign stop in New Hampshire. He then goes on to Iowa and and South Carolina.

From the Bush campaign:

Bush Announcement Tour

Miami, FL – Following his announcement at Miami Dade College on Monday, Governor Bush will travel to New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina. He will visit Nevada the following week. Governor Bush’s son, George P. Bush, will hold a meet and greet with College Republicans and Republican activists in Reno, Nevada and a meet and greet with young professionals in Las Vegas later this week.

Here is your first look at tomorrow's announcement of Jeb Bush's 2016 presidential campaign. Crowley Political Report tried to get a closer look....but a Jeb! volunteer had a ! reaction to our attempt to enter the Miami Dade College gym to peek at the preparations.

A few moments ago, the Jeb Bush 2016 presidential campaign released a new video and a new, but familiar logo for the campaign. The "Make a Difference" release and video is the firing of the starting gun for Bush's bid to become the third member of his family to occupy the White House. Bush makes his formal announcement tomorrow in Miami. Crowley Political Report with be there.

Miami, FL - Today, Governor Bush released a new web video, “Making a Difference,” introducing himself to the nation ahead of his announcement on Monday. The video highlights the impact Jeb Bush had on the lives of countless Floridians as Governor of Florida.

Drawing on first person accounts, the video tells the story of someone who cares deeply about helping people and getting results that allow everyone the opportunity to achieve their dreams.

“Making A Difference” shows that Jeb Bush knows how to fix the problems facing Americans, because he’s done it.

“He really cares about us. He really cares about people with developmental disabilities, and with all disabilities. There are people today that are getting services because of what Jeb did,” said Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte.

Kim Donatelle echoed Aponte’s sentiment, “I think Governor Bush changed a lot of lives in Florida. I am very grateful that he was our Governor.”

"I said I was going to do these things and I did them, and the result was Florida is a lot better off," says Governor Bush in the video. Leadership is not about "yapping about things…what we need is new leadership that takes conservative principles and applies them so that people can rise up.”

Transcript:

Denisha Merriweather (Jacksonville, FL): My mom, my brother, and my uncle all dropped out of school, by the time I was in the third grade I had failed twice.

Miguel Manrara (Miramar, FL): My first job was picking up garbage and cardboard so I could have some money to feed, to help feed my family, my mother, my father.

06/13/2015

One thing you have to credit Marco Rubio campaign team is for its speed. Shortly after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke today, the Republican candidate had this video in response.

Let's note that while it is a direct shot at Clinton, you could argue that Republican Jeb Bush gets hit by the ricochet.

We get a hint of what the start of Jeb Bush's presidential campaign will look like from this video the former Florida governor launched today.

Note that the ad is dubbed Today and Tomorrow. It certainly suggests that Bush is not about to cede any ground to fellow Florida Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio.

Rubio has sharply divided the race between old-hands, who he is portraying as out-of-touch with the 21st Century, and the younger generation of politicians who Rubio claims are better prepared to deal with life's new realities.

In Bush's campaign video, coming just ahead of his formal campaign announcement on Monday, he is shown campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire. Oops, not campaigning - exploring. He quickly shifts to a wedding photo of Bush and his wife Columba.

He than brags about his achievements as Florida's governor before switching to a brief look at the future.